I moved to Oakland, California in 2008. In 2010 I left my full time job to pursue a full time career as an independent Artist. My work has evolved in the past few years to embody my surroundings in the historic West Oakland area – I built out my studio in a Victorian house constructed in 1879 near the historic Jack London Square and The Port of Oakland – working to the sounds of passing trains blowing their whistle’s, ships blowing their horns, and industrial machines clanking throughout the night. The 1800′s Architecture and modes of transportation in Oakland inspire dreams and visions of another world – a distant yet familiar place where the imagination can dream, explore, adventure… be inspired.

I build my own custom canvases and wood panels from scratch – the canvas’ are four inces deep with a solid structure of cross braces to prevent warping over time – the wood panels I construct with birch and plywood – prepping the wood heavily with three-stage sanding, staining, and sealing before assembling and painting with Golden Acrylics. When stained, the plywood grain is incredibly dramatic and beautiful which allows me to work my dreams and visions into its patterns, melding the two into one complete image. I often attach and embed copper pipes and recycled brass lamp parts before painting the panel, juxtaposing industrial metals with the organic grain of the wood.

As an experimental artist, select Live Painting events have a unique twist in which I pump atmospheric fog (used in film & theater) through copper piping in the wood panels to seemingly bring my paintings to life “off the canvas.” Check out the “Live Painting” page for video and a list of past Live Painting events.

Gregorio de Masi was born 1982 in Los Angeles, California to an Italian father and Californian mother. The family moved to Europe early in Gregorio’s life, residing most of his youth in Rome and London, heavily immersed in Fine & Performing Arts.

In the late nineties Gregorio returned to Los Angeles to finish his education and continue his pursuit of the Arts. He worked on National Touring Broadway productions as a costume & props assistant while studying Fine Arts, Sociology and Psychology. He was invited to design costumes for his University’s artistic stage productions. He also studied Design in the evenings at the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, leading to an Automotive Design internship at the Audi/Volkswagen California Design Center. Before completing University Gregorio began working in the Art Department on feature and independent film projects in Hollywood. Titles included: Art Director, Set Dresser/Decorator, Props Master, Special FX, Makeup Artist.

After a few years in the film industry, an opportunity arose to work in San Francisco on high-end catalog photo shoots. Within a week, Gregorio moved North and began a new life in the San Francisco Bay Area. While working on photo shoots, Gregorio began live painting at music & art festivals throughout California, discovering a new love of sharing his art and process with the world. He soon settled in Oakland and in 2010, resigned from his full time job to pursue a professional career as a Visual Artist.

Today, you can catch Gregorio exhibiting works and painting live at unique Galleries and Art & Music events throughout the West Coast of the United States. Visit Gregorio de Masi’s Oakland, California studio to view his unique wood panel paintings in person and meet the artist – email for an appointment: gregoriodemasi@gmail.com